Abe Student Loans Review: Pros And Cons

Before applying for a private student loan, DR Bank and Monogram LLC recommend exhausting all financial aid alternatives including grants, scholarships, and federal student loans.

The Abe^SM student loan is made by DR Bank, Member FDIC (“Lender”). All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to Lender’s underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions and other terms and conditions apply. LENDER AND MONOGRAM LLC EACH RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. TERMS, CONDITIONS AND RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

* In order to estimate your available rates and loan options, DR Bank will perform a soft credit inquiry, as authorized by you. Soft credit inquiries do not affect your credit. If available, the rates and loan options offered to you are estimates only.  Once you submit your application, DR Bank may perform a hard credit inquiry, as authorized by you. Loan approval, options, and final rates depend on the verification of information provided on your application, and information obtained from the credit inquiries of the student applicant and, if applicable, the cosigner.

¹Interest rates and APRs (Annual Percentage Rates): Interest rates and APRs (Annual Percentage Rates) depend upon (1) the student’s and cosigner’s (if applicable) credit histories, (2) the repayment option and repayment term selected, (3) the expected number of years in deferment, (4) the requested loan amount and (5) other information provided on the online loan application. If approved, applicants will be notified of the rate applicable to your loan. Rates and terms are effective as of 7/31/2025. The variable interest rate for each calendar month is calculated by adding the 30-Day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) index, or a replacement index if the SOFR index is no longer available, plus a fixed margin assigned to each loan. The SOFR index is published on the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The current SOFR index is 4.375% as of 6/1/2025. The variable interest rate will change if the SOFR index changes or if a new index is chosen or if you automatically qualify for In-School Default Protection (see footnote below for details). The applicable index or margin for variable rate loans may change over time and result in a different APR than shown. The fixed rate assigned to a loan will never change except as required by law or if you request and qualify for the on-time payment discount or auto pay discount, or automatically qualify for In-School Default Protection (see footnote below for details). APRs displayed as a range: APRs assume a $10,000 loan with one disbursement. The low APRs assume a 7-year term, and the Interest-Only Repayment option with payments beginning 30-60 days after the disbursement via auto pay (see footnote 2). The high APRs assume a 5-year term with the Interest-Only Repayment option, a 31-month deferment period, and a six-month grace period before entering repayment.

²Autopay Discount: Earn a 0.25% interest rate reduction for making automatic payments from a bank account (“auto pay discount”) by completing the direct debit form provided by the Servicer. The auto pay discount is in addition to other discounts. The auto pay discount will be applied after the Servicer validates your bank account information. Automatic payments and the associated discount will be temporarily discontinued (1) if you elect to stop automatic deduction of payments and (2) during periods when you are not required to make payments. The discount will be permanently discontinued in the event three automatic deductions are returned by the financial institution for any reason.

³ In-school Default Protection: Borrowers with Interest Only or Flat Payment Repayment loans that reach at least 90 days delinquent during an in-school deferment period will automatically have their repayment option transitioned from the Interest Only or Flat Payment Repayment option to the Full Deferment Repayment option. Under these circumstances, the interest rate on the loan will automatically increase to match the interest rate associated with the corresponding Full Deferment loan. For an Interest Only loan, the interest rate will increase by one percentage point (1.00%). For a Flat Payment Repayment loan, the interest rate will increase by one quarter of one percentage point (0.25%). Credit reporting prior to the transition of a loan to the Full Deferment repayment option will remain on your record. Any unpaid accrued interest at the end of an in-school deferment period may be capitalized in accordance with the Credit Agreement.

⁴ Loan Amounts: The minimum loan amount is $1,000, except for (a) student applicants who are permanent residents of Iowa in which case the minimum loan amount is $1,001, and (b) student applicants or cosigners who are permanent residents of Massachusetts in which case the minimum loan amount is $6,001. The maximum loan amount to cover in-school expenses for each academic year is determined by the school’s cost of attendance, minus other financial aid, such as federal student loans, scholarships, or grants. The loan amount must be certified by the school. The loan amount cannot cause the aggregate maximum student loan debt (which includes federal and private student loans), on an undergraduate or graduate loan, to exceed $225,000 per applicant (on cosigned applications, separate calculations are performed for the student and cosigner). On a specialty graduate loan (Dental, Medical, Healthcare, Law and MBA) the loan amount cannot cause the aggregate maximum student loan debt to exceed $350,000.

⁵ Loan Terms: The 15- and 20- year term and Flat Payment Repayment option (paying $25 per month during in-school deferment) are only available for loan amounts of $5,000 or more. Making interest only or flat interest payments during deferment will not reduce the principal balance of the loan. Payment examples (all assume a 14-month deferment period, a six-month grace period before entering repayment, no auto pay discount, and the Interest Only Repayment option): 5-year term: $10,000 loan, one disbursement, with a 5-year repayment term (60 months) and a 9.30% APR would result in a monthly principal and interest payment of $209.04. 7-year term: $10,000 loan, one disbursement, with a 7-year repayment term (84 months) and a 6.50% APR would result in a monthly principal and interest payment of $148.49. 10-year term: $10,000 loan, one disbursement, with a 10-year repayment term (120 months) and a 6.35% APR would result in a monthly principal and interest payment of $112.76. 15-year term: $10,000 loan, one disbursement, with, a 15-year repayment term (180 months) and a 6.30% APR would result in a monthly principal and interest payment of $86.02. 20-year term: $10,000 loan, one disbursement, with, a 20-year repayment term (240 months) and a 8.38% APR would result in a monthly principal and interest payment of $86.02.

⁶ A cosigner may be released from the loan upon request to the Servicer, provided that the student borrower has met certain credit and other criteria, and 12 consecutive monthly principal and interest payments or lump sum payments equal to 12 monthly principal and interest payments have been received by the Servicer during any 12-month period. While a loan is in a reduced repayment plan or while a request for a reduced payment plan is pending, borrowers are not eligible to apply for cosigner release.

⁷ The grace period is generally six months. The grace period begins on the earlier of the date (a) the student borrower graduates, (b) the student borrower ceases to be enrolled, or (c) that is 60 months from the first disbursement date, but in no case, earlier than six months after the first disbursement date. The immediate repayment option does not have a grace period.